Drs. Sherwin Ho and Lewis L. Shi, in collaboration with Dr. T.-C. He, are investigating possible gene therapy approaches to enhancing tendon and ligament healing using recombinant adenoviral vectors expressing BMPs and/or other biological factors. They have demonstrated that BMP-13 can significantly improve the biomechanical properties of lacerated flexor tendons in a rabbit model while BMP-14 is also shown to significantly improve the biomechanical properties of lacerated flexor tendons in a rabbit model. Based on time-course studies of gene expression after tendon injury, they identified several factors that may work alongside BMP-13 and BMP-14 at different stages of tendon healing. Dr. Lewis L. Shi Is also investigating biological factors that may improve the healing of rotator cuff injuries.
Sherwin Ho, MD
Tang and Frank Families Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine
Lewis Shi, MD
Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine
Tong-Chuan He, MD PhD
Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine
of Committee on Cancer Biology
of Committee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology
of Committee on Molecular Medicine